Henry Charles Fehr
Encyclopedia
Henry Charles Fehr FRBS
(4 November 1867 – 13 May 1940) was a British
monumental
and architectural
sculptor active in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Fehr was born in Forest Hill
in north-east London. His family was of Swiss origin and an ancestor was a former President of Switzerland
. Henry Fehr spent many of his formative years around East London, and lived in Leyton
and later in South Kensington
.
He studied at the City of London School
and at the Royal Academy Schools from 1885 where he won medals and a Scholarship. From 1889 to 1893 he was the studio assistant to the sculptor Thomas Brock
, and also trained in the studio of Horace Montford. Fehr first exhibited at the Royal Academy
in 1887. He was an original member of the Royal British Society of Sculptors
in 1904, and later was elected a Fellow. His monumental works include The Cenotaph
in Leeds
, the Queen Victoria Memorial in Hull
(1903), the decorations on the City Hall
in Cardiff
, sculptures on the Middlesex Guildhall
in Parliament Square
, as well as a number of war memorials and portrait busts.
In 1898 he made a frieze of coloured bas-relief with scenes from the Wars of the Roses
for Wakefield County Hall. For the architect
Charles Fitzroy Doll
he produced four life-size sculpture
s of British Queens for the Hotel Russell
in London's Bloomsbury
area. Fehr's best-known work, Perseus Rescuing Andromeda (1893), is located outside on the right hand balcony of Tate Britain
in London.
His studio was No 6 at the Fulham Road Studio, then located at 12–14 The Avenue, Fulham Road
, London. Others who had studios there included John Singer Sargent
, Edward John Poynter, Charles Edward Hallé, Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm, Alfred Gilbert
and Edward Onslow Ford
.
With his wife, Rose, he had two sons, the artist Arthur Henry Fehr (1897-1990) and Frederick C Fehr.
Henry Charles Fehr died in London on 13 May 1940.
Royal British Society of Sculptors
The Royal British Society of Sculptors is a registered charity whose aims are to promote and support sculpture. It has a worldwide membership....
(4 November 1867 – 13 May 1940) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
monumental
Monument
A monument is a type of structure either explicitly created to commemorate a person or important event or which has become important to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, or simply as an example of historic architecture...
and architectural
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
sculptor active in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Fehr was born in Forest Hill
Forest Hill, London
Forest Hill is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It situated between Dulwich and Sydenham. The area has enjoyed extensive investment since plans to extend the East London Line to Forest Hill were unveiled in 2004....
in north-east London. His family was of Swiss origin and an ancestor was a former President of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. Henry Fehr spent many of his formative years around East London, and lived in Leyton
Leyton
Leyton is an area of north-east London and part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest, located north east of Charing Cross. It borders Walthamstow and Leytonstone; Stratford in Newham; and Homerton and Lower Clapton in the London Borough of Hackney....
and later in South Kensington
South Kensington
South Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London. It is a built-up area located 2.4 miles west south-west of Charing Cross....
.
He studied at the City of London School
City of London School
The City of London School is a boys' independent day school on the banks of the River Thames in the City of London, England. It is the brother school of the City of London School for Girls and the co-educational City of London Freemen's School...
and at the Royal Academy Schools from 1885 where he won medals and a Scholarship. From 1889 to 1893 he was the studio assistant to the sculptor Thomas Brock
Thomas Brock
Sir Thomas Brock KCB RA was an English sculptor.- Life :Brock was born in Worcester, attended the School of Design in Worcester and then undertook an apprenticeship in modelling at the Worcester Royal Porcelain Works. In 1866 he became a pupil of the sculptor John Henry Foley. He married in 1869,...
, and also trained in the studio of Horace Montford. Fehr first exhibited at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
in 1887. He was an original member of the Royal British Society of Sculptors
Royal British Society of Sculptors
The Royal British Society of Sculptors is a registered charity whose aims are to promote and support sculpture. It has a worldwide membership....
in 1904, and later was elected a Fellow. His monumental works include The Cenotaph
Cenotaph
A cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion...
in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, the Queen Victoria Memorial in Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
(1903), the decorations on the City Hall
City Hall, Cardiff
City Hall is a civic building in Cathays Park, Cardiff, Wales. Built of Portland stone, it became the fifth building to serve as Cardiff's centre of local government when it opened in October 1906. The competition to design a town hall and adjacent law courts for Cardiff was won in 1897 by the firm...
in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, sculptures on the Middlesex Guildhall
Middlesex Guildhall
The Middlesex Guildhall is the home of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. It stands on the south-west corner of Parliament Square in London.-History:...
in Parliament Square
Parliament Square
Parliament Square is a square outside the northwest end of the Palace of Westminster in London. It features a large open green area in the middle, with a group of trees to its west. It contains statues of famous statesmen and is the scene of rallies and protests, as well as being a tourist...
, as well as a number of war memorials and portrait busts.
In 1898 he made a frieze of coloured bas-relief with scenes from the Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
for Wakefield County Hall. For the architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Charles Fitzroy Doll
Charles Fitzroy Doll
Charles Fitzroy Doll J.P., FRIBA , was an English architect of the Victorian and Edwardian eras who specialised in designing hotels. He also designed the dining room on the RMS Titanic, which was based on his design for that in the Hotel Russell in Bloomsbury.Doll was educated in Germany, and on...
he produced four life-size sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
s of British Queens for the Hotel Russell
Hotel Russell
The Hotel Russell is a four star hotel, located on Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London, owned and operated by the Principal Hayley Group.The Hotel Russell was built in 1898 by the architect, Charles Fitzroy Doll. It is distinctively clad in decorative thé-au-lait terracotta, and was based on the...
in London's Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury
-Places:* Bloomsbury is an area in central London.* Bloomsbury , related local government unit* Bloomsbury, New Jersey, New Jersey, USA* Bloomsbury , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...
area. Fehr's best-known work, Perseus Rescuing Andromeda (1893), is located outside on the right hand balcony of Tate Britain
Tate Britain
Tate Britain is an art gallery situated on Millbank in London, and part of the Tate gallery network in Britain, with Tate Modern, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives. It is the oldest gallery in the network, opening in 1897. It houses a substantial collection of the works of J. M. W. Turner.-History:It...
in London.
His studio was No 6 at the Fulham Road Studio, then located at 12–14 The Avenue, Fulham Road
Fulham Road
Fulham Road is a street in London, England, that runs from the A219 road in right in the centre of Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, through Chelsea to Brompton Road Knightsbridge and the A4 in Brompton, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.Fulham Road runs parallel...
, London. Others who had studios there included John Singer Sargent
John Singer Sargent
John Singer Sargent was an American artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian era luxury. During his career, he created roughly 900 oil paintings and more than 2,000 watercolors, as well as countless sketches and charcoal drawings...
, Edward John Poynter, Charles Edward Hallé, Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm, Alfred Gilbert
Alfred Gilbert
Sir Alfred Gilbert was an English sculptor and goldsmith who enthusiastically experimented with metallurgical innovations...
and Edward Onslow Ford
Edward Onslow Ford
Edward Onslow Ford , English sculptor, was born in London. He received some education as a painter in Antwerp and as a sculptor in Munich under Professor Wagmuller, but was mainly self-taught....
.
With his wife, Rose, he had two sons, the artist Arthur Henry Fehr (1897-1990) and Frederick C Fehr.
Henry Charles Fehr died in London on 13 May 1940.